Reclining chairs provide a comfortable seating alternative that may permit a person to raise and hold their legs above their heart to provide therapeutic benefits.
Many different types of reclining chairs have been developed with different features and different levels of complexity. One example of a reclining chair is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,845,961 that has a positionable footrest with a complex linkage mechanism . This type of reclining chair utilizes an extensive linkage having multiple parts and must be assembled together in precise alignment. Improper use or unbalanced loading can cause this type of reclining chair to become misaligned or wear out over time.
Another example of a reclining chair is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,790,599. This type of pivoting recliner utilizes curved guide members having curved slots, that form a part of the base frame of the chair. This chair is supported on elongated bars that pivot within limits defined by arcuate slots in the curved guide members. While this structure is somewhat simplified compared to multilink structures described above, it is still unduly complex. The pivot mechanism disclosed in this patent has pinch points between the arm members and the frame that can result in a user suffering a painful injury when the angle of inclination of the seat is adjusted. In addition, the footrest is connected to the seat portion of the seat in a rigid non-adjustable manner. The adjustment nob is also difficult to use because it pivots with the seat instead of remaining stationary relative to the base.
These and other problems are addressed by the invention as summarized below.